TORONTO – George Steinbrenner was tending to another department of his business empire when players and owners agreed to a four-year Collective Bargaining Agreement yesterday morning that will force The Boss to pay $54 million to $56 million in taxes next season, which is roughly $23 million more than he doled out this year.

Speaking for Steinbrenner yesterday were Yankees COO Lonn Trost and club president Randy Levine. Neither would address the specifics of the deal and how it impacts the Yankees.

“We are thrilled to still be playing,” Trost said from his Yankee Stadium office. “Hopefully, we will continue with what we have been doing. Winning is very important to Mr. Steinbrenner. As far as the deal goes, we are still trying to find out what the implications are because we can’t figure them out until we get the facts.”

MLB and the Players Association will likely get the CBA to the clubs late next week.

“We are delighted the season will continue,” Levine said in a statement. “We have not seen the details of the agreement. We will have no further comment until we do.”

Neither Trost or Levine responded to questions about how Steinbrenner took yesterday’s news that his tax will skyrocket, but he wasn’t pleased in the weeks leading to yesterday’s agreement. And there is still a possibility The Boss will file a lawsuit against MLB.

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Andy Pettitte didn’t play catch yesterday and won’t start Tuesday against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Instead, Joe Torre said Pettitte is slotted for Wednesday if his balky back allows him.

“Andy will play catch [today] and Sunday and throw off the mound Monday,” Torre said of Pettitte, who was scratched from last night’s start Wednesday when he complained of stiffness and tightness in his lower back. “If he can’t pitch [Wednesday], Jeff Weaver will.”

Weaver filled in for Pettitte last night.

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Out since Aug. 7 with a bruised left wrist, Nick Johnson played in a Single-A minor-league game yesterday for Tampa and will rejoin the Yankees Monday.

Torre said Johnson will immediately go back into the lineup, where he has played 45 games at first base and 45 as the DH.

Mariano Rivera will play catch next week. It will be the first time since Aug. 15 that Rivera will throw a ball. He is out with a strained right shoulder.

Torre said catcher Alberto Castillo will be promoted from Columbus tomorrow, the first day rosters expand from 25. Torre said four other players would be elevated after the Clippers’ season ends Monday.

They are expected to be third baseman Drew Henson, outfielder Juan Rivera, and pitchers Randy Choate and Brandon Knight.